Why You Need to Try Veneta’s Hot Chocolate

Veneta’s General Manager Katie van de Merwe takes us through St James’s most delicious hot drink..

It’s authentically Venetian

St Mark’s Square is the heart of Venice: and it’s also the home to Caffè Florian, which is where our Head Chef Jamie Thickett discovered the most incredible hot chocolate. Imagine being there on a really chilly day, and then you’re presented with a hot chocolate that’s rich, thick and utterly delicious. He had to bring it back to London.

It’s a labour of love

We make our hot chocolate using specially sourced chocolate chips which we infuse with cinnamon – that’s a nod to Venice’s position as a spice-trading city. We then add cream and salt, melt it all down and warm the mixture gradually in our beautiful hot chocolate machine. After about an hour it’s ready.

We don’t add sugar…

The Venezuelan chocolate chips we use are about 70 per cent cocoa, so they’re just the right mix between sweet and bitter. And it’s the natural bitterness of the chocolate that makes the drink so satisfying. Most people who order it don’t need a dessert.

…but you can make it sweeter if you like

Our hot chocolate is served in a tall glass with a soft pillow of whipped cream on top. If you fancy some extra sweetness, we offer a selection of syrups (including a delicious Cardomom and Pistachio one), while a sprinkling of chocolate chips will make it even more chocolatey.

You can ‘turn it up to 11’

Italians love to add booze to food and drink – a very worthwhile endeavour! So to kickstart your day (or night) you could add a shot of grappa. It’s absolutely delicious and will warm up your tummy nicely.